This invention relates to wireless communication systems which includes an electronic camera and a receiver.
Presently there are numerous electronic camera and receiver systems. For example, in security systems a designated camera typically takes motion pictures of a scene and produces video signals which are sent to a receiver. The receiver will either record the signals or display the signals or a combination thereof. In such systems the camera is typically in a dedicated position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,446 to Hong, a system where video and audio signals are transferred from a video camera to a display unit. These signals are encoded and later decoded in the receiver. In this arrangement a decoding key is already provided in the receiver. This of course presents a possible security problem.
Thus there is a problem with prior art arrangements in that they often can be easily monitored by an unauthorized user.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic camera-receiver combination which prevents the unauthorized monitoring of RF signals.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wireless communications system wherein a plurality of cameras can be enabled to operate with a receiver.
These objects are achieved by a wireless communications system for transmitting and receiving images and audio information, comprising:
a) a receiver including a display for displaying received images and a speaker for producing audio signals, a processing unit for storing ID code signals for decoding the received images and audio signals and means for receiving an RF signal containing images and audio information and means responsive to the ID code signal for extracting the received image and audio signals of the images and the audio information from the RF signal;
b) an electronic camera having an image sensor for capturing one or more images of a scene and producing image signals, and including means for receiving audio signals to produce audio information signals, a second processing unit for encoding and then superimposing the image and audio signals onto an RF carrier, and means for transmitting the RF carrier and superimposed signals; and
c) first and second interconnect means respectively included in the receiver and the electronic camera and being adapted when interconnected to transfer the ID code signal from the camera to the receiver where it is stored, to thereby permit the electronic camera to communicate with the receiver.
The advantage of the present invention is that a secure wireless communications system can be achieved without significant complexity. It is another advantage of the invention that a plurality of enabled cameras can be selectively monitored by a receiver.